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Findings

Students learn in supportive, settled classrooms. Their interests are extended through rich learning experiences. Their learning is closely monitored and supported. The leaders and staff of this new school have created a culture and curriculum that reflects Christian values and meets the expectations for learning of its parent community.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Kingsview School is a small state-integrated school providing education for students in Years 1 to 8.

Students come from a diverse range of cultural and international backgrounds. At the time of this review a large number of students were in Years 1 to 5. Many new entrants come from the attached early childhood centre.

The school was established in 2011, following the closure of the Southern Lakes Christian School.

In the school’s establishment phase, the board placed a strong focus on developing effective systems for teaching and learning, while upholding the special Christian character of the parent community. A first-time principal was appointed in 2010.

The school’s board receives extensive support from the Proprietor, the New Zealand Christian Proprietors Trust. This has been instrumental in the development of the school’s curriculum and governance and management guidelines. The board also maintains close links with the Christian Schools Association of Queenstown, operators of the former Southern Lakes Christian School.

The school is in a period of embedding and reviewing its many developments. These include:

familiarising the new teaching team with the school curriculum and expectations

maintaining support for school leadership.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

The school is using achievement information well. The principal has developed useful systems for tracking and monitoring students’ progress and achievement.

Reports to the board show that most students are achieving at or above the National Standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Those students who require extra help, or are at risk of not meeting the board’s expectations for achievement, are identified and targeted for extra support.

Teachers use learning information well to plan programmes to meet the learning needs of their students and to identify and track students who need extra help and support. A next step for teachers is to use achievement information to help students set learning goals and to track their own achievement and progress against these.

The principal uses information well to regularly report to the board on the progress and achievement of individual and groups of students. The board is well informed about how well it is meeting its targets for achievement in relation to the National Standards.

Trustees are increasingly using achievement information to help assure them that sufficient achievement and progress is being made. Training is planned to help them to develop this further.

Reports to the board should also show:

progress and achievement of groups and year levels

how well initiatives for supporting students to achieve have worked

recommendations for improvement.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The school has developed a curriculum to support all students to do the best they can. This is in the early stages of being delivered consistently across classrooms and in all subject areas.

The school curriculum has a strong focus on teaching and learning, and promoting Christian values.

The new teaching team has built supportive relationships in the classrooms. These affirm the students and have a focus on learning. ERO observed effective practices in classrooms where:

students’ learning was revisited prior to their moving on to new learning

the purpose of learning and what they needed to do to achieve was shared with students

students were provided engaging activities to build on their understandings.

Appropriate guidelines have been developed for delivering all essential learning areas of the New Zealand curriculum. An appropriate focus has been placed on teaching and learning of reading, writing and mathematics. The local environment offers easy access to a rich range of outdoor learning experiences. This, and other strategies, ensures that students have frequent access to outside play areas. The board has identified that it is now time to systematically review all learning areas developed in the new school’s curriculum. These reviews should include:

teachers developing a shared model of learning

the teaching of numeracy.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Parents and whānau are regularly informed about the classroom programmes. The opinions of parents and Māori whānau are regularly sought and responded to. A recent survey affirms that the school curriculum and vision aligns with the school charter and the aspirations parents have for their children.

The principal has sought external support to deliver a Māori language and culture programme. A next step is to build teacher capacity to help sustain this.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

The board has developed useful systems for managing school operations and sustaining and improving performance.

The board has established a shared vision, charter, annual plans and supporting framework for governance and leadership. The board chairperson has been instrumental in supporting school development. This includes building trustees’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities and introducing useful systems of guidance and accountability for school leadership.

The new trustees are developing confidence and expertise in supporting the school’s focus on teaching and learning. They show a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They receive regular information about student achievement and the progress being made towards achieving the annual goals.

The new principal is capably managing and leading the school. She has a vision for developing and growing the school and building on the strengths of the teaching team. She is building collaborative working relationships among the new staff.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

board administration

curriculum

management of health, safety and welfare

personnel management

financial management

asset management

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on students' achievement:

emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)

physical safety of students

teacher registration

processes for appointing staff

stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions

attendance.

Conclusion

Students learn in supportive, settled classrooms. Their interests are extended through rich learning experiences. Their learning is closely monitored and supported. The leaders and staff of this new school have created a culture and curriculum that reflects Christian values and meets the expectations for learning of its parent community.